Politics

Dhaka, Feb 22 (UNB) – Claiming that the government staged a ‘farce’ on December 30 in the name of election, Jatiya Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain on Friday urged all to be united to take the country’s ownership back and ensure the voting rights of people.

“…this can’t be called an election. This is a farce. There was a ceremony on December 30 when the government staged a farce in the name of election, deprived the country’s people of their rights, violated the constitution and defamed democracy,” he said.

Dr Kamal, also Gono Forum president, made the comments while delivering his concluding speech at a public hearing arranged by Jatiya Oikyafront at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium.

The public hearing was arranged to depict the ‘irregularities in the 11th parliamentary election before the country’s people and the international community.

About the depositions made by 42 candidates in the public hearing, Dr Kamal said, “The speeches all of you delivered here depicted a similar picture across the country. The government had taken all the mechanisms and strategies so that a free and fair election was not held.”

He also demanded unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, saying the demand is justified and logical.

The public hearing was originally rescheduled to be held on February 24. However, Oikyafront rescheduled it for February 22 as they failed to manage any venue in the capital to hold the programme on February 24.

Dhaka, Feb 22 (UNB) – Jatiya Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain on Friday said they are holding the public hearing on the ‘irregularities in the 11th parliamentary election to show respect to the Constitution.

“We’re not judges, and we don’t have any judicial authority or responsibility to hold any trial. In the public hearing, the candidates (of December-30 election) will present their statements before people and people will judge it. But, the trial will be held in the election tribunal,” he said.

Joining a public hearing as the head of a seven-member jury panel, he also said, “The main objective of the public hearing is to show respect to the Constitution as people are the owners of the country as per the Constitution. We had waged the Liberation War to protect our voting rights.”

The public hearing began at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium around 10am and it will continue till 4-5pm with a one-hour break from 1pm.

Mentioning that their many candidates have already lodged complaints about election ‘frauds’ with the High Country’s election tribunal, Dr Kamal said their alliance is holding the public hearing to let people know what happened in the election.

“As the owners of the country, people wanted to elect their representatives through the election. They should be informed what actually happened in the election,” he observed.

Kamal, also the president of Gono Forum, said the election candidates will give their statements in the hearing. “All the statements will be recorded and later published in a book.”

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said a ‘so-called farcical’ election was held on December 30 in the country.

He alleged that the government is ruling the country as per its whim in absence of a democratic atmosphere. “The government has now no accountability to people.”

Fakhrul also read out a condolence motion in memory of those killed in Chawkbazar fire incident.

The Oikyafront leaders and activists paid homage to the fire victims by observing a one-minute silence.

A munajat was also offered seeking salvation of the victims’ departed souls and praying for the early recovery of those suffered injuries.
Other members of the jury panel are Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, ex-judge AKM Anisur Rahman Khan, Prof Nurul Amin Bepari, Prof Dilara Chowdhury, Prof Asif Nazrul and Advocate Mohsin Rashid.

Senior leaders of BNP, Gono Forum, JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League, Oikyafront’s candidates of 11th parliamentary polls and activists and supporters of the alliance joined the programme.

The public hearing was originally rescheduled to be held on February 24. However, Oikyafront rescheduled it for February 22 as they failed to manage any venue in the capital to hold the programme on February 24.

All the candidates of the Oikyafront and the left democratic alliance were invited to join the public hearing.

Senior leaders of BNP, Gono Forum, JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League, Oikyafront’s candidates of 11th parliamentary polls and activists and supporters of the alliance joined the programme.

The public hearing was originally rescheduled to be held on February 24. However, Oikyafront rescheduled it for February 22 as they failed to manage any venue in the capital to hold the programme on February 24.

All the candidates of the Oikyafront and the left democratic alliance were invited to join the public hearing.

Dhaka, Feb 21 (UNB) – Jatiya Oikyafront will hold a public hearing in the city on February 22 to depict the “real scenario of vote robbery” in the 11th parliamentary election before the country’s people and international community.

The programme will be held at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium. It will begin at 10am and continue till 4-5pm with a one-hour break from 1pm.

There will be a seven-member panel, led by Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain, at the public hearing.

The public hearing was originally rescheduled to be held on February 24. However, Oikyafront rescheduled it for February 22 as they failed to manage any venue in the capital to hold the programme on February 24.

All the candidates of the Oikyafront and the left democratic alliance were invited to join the public hearing.

Dhaka, Feb 20 (UNB) - Resignation of some Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and talks about apologies for the party’s 1971 role are part of its plot to tackle local and international pressures, Information Minister Hasan Mahmud said Wednesday.

“Even if it apologises, the party can’t get impunity for opposing the Liberation War, committing genocide, arson and torture,” he told a programme at Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum.

When Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Barrister Abdur Razzaq quit the party on February 15, he cited two reasons – the party’s failure to apologise for its role in 1971 and reform the organisation based on reality.

Another local leader of Jamaat resigned citing a similar reason.

Jamaat openly sided with Pakistani occupation forces and tried to thwart Bangalees’ struggle for freedom. Most of those found guilty of war crimes are from Jamaat, the largest Islamist party in Bangladesh.

The demand for an apology from the party has been growing. On Wednesday, BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan said Jamaat “should be ashamed of its anti-Liberation War role or should apologise for it.”

BNP, founded by Ziaur Rahman, has been a close ally of the Islamist party.

Minister Mahmud said the BNP does not deserve impunity since it joined hands with Jamaat.

“BNP should also apologise for sheltering Jamaat, forming an alliance with it and making the party part of the government,” he said.